United Front

OBJECT OF DESIRE

A quick story to mark National Breast Cancer Awareness Month: Several years ago, my mother had a mastectomy. She lost her hair during chemotherapy, but she's a different kind of woman and didn't care if people saw her bald head. So she and my father, who has shaved his head for years, were sitting at a restaurant near their Michigan home, waiting to order, their hairless pates on full display. The waitress cames over and eyed them curiously, maybe with a hint of fear, and my dad said, ``Don't worry. We're not in a cult.'' To all the ladies who face this disease with bravery and humor, and to the loved ones who stand by them, I salute you.